Currycomb.



No. 699,486.. Y Patented may 6.1902.

c. P.V mamma GURRYEGMB..

(Application filed Sept, 1L. 1901.)

(Na Modal.)

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAYTON I. BREININ G, OF COGAN STATION, PENNSYLVANIA.

CURRYCONIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,486, dated May 6,1902.

Application filed September 11, 1901. Serial No. 75.085. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it' mfr/y concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON P. BEEINING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cogan Station, in the county of Lycoming and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Currycomb, of which thefollowing is a specification.

In the ordinary type of curryeomb having a laterally-projected handlewhich is connected to the back of the comb by means of an angular shankit is common to grasp the body of the comb with the thumb across theangular shank and the fingers a'cross the front edge of the body insteadof grasping the handle, as this manner of holding the comb has beenfound more advantageous than to manipulate the comb by the handle.However, this manner of holding the comb has its disadvantages, as it isimpossible to obtain a firm grasp of the finger-tips upon the front edgeof the comb, and therefore the fingers are continually slippingtherefrom. Moreover, it is difficult to prevent the finger-tips fromprojecting beyond the teeth ofthe comb, and therefore they are Yfrequently rubbed against the horse and thereby injured.

In view of these disadvantages it is the object of the present inventionto provide means for application to a currycomb to adord convenient andeffective grasp portions for engagement by the thumb and fingers, so asto obviate slipping of the latter from the comb and also to prevent thefingers from being projected beyond the teeth.

It is furthermore designed to embody the invention in the form ofattachments one ofY which is a finger-grasp and designed for applicationto the front edge of the back of a comb and arranged to embrace andstiden the same and also to project at opposite sides thereof, so as toform knockers for contact with some object when cleaning the comb. Theother attachment is a thumb-grasp, which is constructed for applicationto the outer or rear side of the usual angular shank and provided withmeans for connection with the back of the comb and the handle thereofwithout altering or changing the original parts of the comb.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within 'thescope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a currycomb havingthe present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional View thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view oftheingergrasp-piece. Fig. l is a detail perspective view of the thumbgrasp-piece.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

To illustrate the application of the present invention, I have shown anordinary type of currycomb l, which is provided with alaterally-projected handle 2, that is connected to the upper side of theback of the currycomb by means of an angular shank 3, the forwardportion of which is riveted or otherwise secured to the back ofthe comband is provided with a longitudinal upstruek corrngation 5. The outerend of the shank terminates in la tang 6, which is thrust in the innerend of the handle in the usual manner. It Will be understood'that theseparts are common and ordinary and may vary in form,.as they form no partof the present invention.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a thurnb-piece 7, whichis applied to the back of the shank 3 and consists of a comparativelybroad plate which has its outer face concaved vertically and convexedtransversely, so as to it the inner side of the thumb` The lower end ofthis thumb-piece is provided with a forwardly-directed stem or tang 8,which is bent from the lower edge of the thumb-piece and lies slightlyabove the lower edge thereof, so that said lower edge portion mayproject below the back of the comb and bear against the rear edgethereof. This tang is designed to be insertedinto the socket formed bythe corrugation 5 and the IOO back of the currycomb, thereby to securethe l fittedv between the handle and the rear edge lower end of thethumb-piece ina convenient and simple manner. The upper edge of thethumb-piece is provided with a rearwardlydirected stem or tang 9, whichlies snugly against the under side of the tang portion G of the shankand is also projected into the handle. By this arrangement it isapparent that the thumb-piece may be conveniently fitted in placewithout altering or changing any portion of the currycomb and merelyrequires the removal of the handle.

The finger-piece, which is struck from a sheet of metal, consists of anintermediate substantially semitubular body portion 10, which isprovided at each end with an integral longitudinally-projected angularbracket portion ll, which is designed to snugly embrace the front edgeof the back of the comb, to which it is connected by means of one ormore rivets or other fastenings 12. As best illustrated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, it will be seen that each bracket is projected outwardlybeyond the adjacent side edge of the currycomb, thereby to form aknocker to be struck against some object for the purpose of displacingdirt, &c., from the comb, as is a common practice. By the provision ofthese projected knockers the edges lof the currycomb are protected.Moreover, the angular formation of the brackets to embrace the frontedge of the back of the comb materially stitfens and strengthens thelatter.

It will be noted that the rear portion of the curved or semitubularfinger piece rises higher than the front portion thereof, so as to forma comparatively broad upstanding flange or shoulder for engagement bythe ngers, and the front edge of this linger-piece is projected slightlyin front of the currycomb and is curved upwardly, so as to form astop-ange to prevent the tips of the lingers from slipping outwardly anddownwardly across the front edge of the comb.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the present inventionmay be applied to currycombs as now commonly constructed withoutaltering or changing the same and when applied does not interfere withthe manipulation thereof, but, on the other hand, materially facilitatesthe manipulation of the comb. Moreover, the fingerpiece stiffens andstrengthens the front edge of the comb, while the thumb-piece braces theshank of the handle at its Weakest point, particularly when knocking thecomb to displace dirt, &c.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with acurrycomb, having a rearwardly-proj ectedhandle and an angular shank having one end connected to the handle andits opposite end applied to the top of the back of the comb, of athumb-piece of the comb and having a lower forwardlydirected tang drivenin between the back of the comb and that part of the shank which isconnected thereto, and an upper rearwardlydirected ytang driven into thehandle, the outer face of the body of the thumb-piece being concavedvertically and convexed laterally, and a substantially semitubularngerpiece applied to the front of the back of the comb with its concavedface in front, its front edge projected in advance of the front edge ofthe comb and its rear edge rising above the latter, integral angularattaching-brackets at opposite ends of the body portion and embracingthe top and front edge of the back of the comb, the outer ends of thebrackets being projected beyond the respective side edges of the comb toform knockers, and fastenings piercing the brackets and the back of thecomb.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a iinger-piece for currycombs,struck from a sheet of metal and consisting of a substantiallysemitubular body portion, provided with opposite terminal angularattaching-brackets having substantially horizontal top members lyingbelow the upper edge of the body, terminated short of the lower frontedge of the body and provided with perforations, and front memberspendent from the front edges of the top members and lying in rear of thelower bottom edge of the body, the brackets being of a length to projectat opposite sides of a currycomb and form knockers,

3. The combination with acurrycomb, having a rearwardly-projectedhandle, and an angular shank having one end connected to the handle andits opposite end applied to the top of the back of the comb, of athumb-piece fitted between the handle and the rear edge of the comb andhavinga lower forwardlydirected tang driven in between the back of thecomb and that part of the shank which is connected to the comb, and 'anupper rearwardly-directed tang driven into the handle, the outer face ofthe body of the thumbpiece being concaved vertically, conveXed laterallyand projected at opposite sides of the shank.

4c. The combination with a currycomb, having a rearwardly-projectedhandle and an angular shank connecting the handle to the back of thecomb, the forward portion of the shank being provided with an upstruckcorrugation, of a thumb-piece having its upper end provided with arearwardly-projected tang which is iitted into the adjacent end of thehandle, and a forwardly-projected tang provided at the lower end of thethumb-piece and inserted into the socket formed by the corrugation ofthe shank and the adjacent portion of the back of the comb.

5. A As a new article of manufacture, a thumb-piece for currycombs,consisting of a IDO rig

body having one face conceived longitudinally and convexed laterally, anintegral tang projeotedrearwardly from one end and at; the longitudinal-concaved side thereof, and a second tang carried bythe opposite end ofthe body and projected forwardly at; the opposite side thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I havehereto axed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLAYTON l. BREINING.

Witnesses: JOHN H. SIGGERS,

FLORENCE E. WALTER.l

